Niches and Distributions

distribution, abundance

Ecology is the study of factors that determine the _______ and _________ of species

where an organism lives

what does distribution represent?

dynamic

are distributions static or dynamic?

geographic range and habitat types

2 components of distribution

niche

range of conditions and resources within which a species can persist indefinitely

fundamental niche

a wider niche where a species could possibly live disregarding other species competition/predation

realized niche

narrower niche where a species can really live based on other species presence and predation

environmental gradients

how are species distributions graphed?

a niche axis

what does each gradient on a graph represent?

they need cold temps for gonads to develop

Why do all northern rock barnacles live where winter temp is 8 deg. C or lower

number of warm summer days, they cannot incubate young if it isn’t warm enough

What sets the northern limit for rattlesnakes? why?

young, adults

In general, ________ organisms are often more sensitive to environmental extremes than _________

survive, reproduce

adults may be able to _________, but not __________, if beyond their natural range (niche)

the chipmunks live at any elevation when alone but when the other species is present they split the mountain between high and low

what shows the indirect effects on the distribution of 2 species of chipmucks?

trees are only up high, uinta chipmunks go there to hide from the more aggressive cliff chipmunks that stay on the ground

what causes the utah chipmunks to split up the mountain elevation between species

adaptations

are genetically influenced traits that enhances the fitness of an individual organism under a particular set of limiting factors

physiological, physical, behavioral

3 different types of adaptations

adaptation is through natural selection

difference between adaptation and acclimation

beech scale insect which feeds on the beech trees

how does beech bark disease get spread?

kills beech trees, beech nut production decrease, ripple effect to animals who eat them

effects of beech bark disease

abiotic factors

Temperature, Moisture, and other physical/chemical factors

ordination graph

way to visualize similarities and differences between study sites

gauss’s principle

species that have the exact same niche cannot coexist

when trees are uprooted

how are pits and mounds formed in the woods

latitude, mountains, coasts

continental patterns that affect species distribution

causes temperature differences which affects wind/ocean currents

why is the angle that the sun hits the earth important to species distribution?

evapotranspiration

Combines evaporation from the soil and other abiotic surfaces with transpiration from plant leaves

high temperatures

what environments have more evapotranspiration?

temperature, temp and precip

Potential evapotranspiration (PET) depends on ___________
Actual evapotranspiration(AET) depends on both ________ actually available to evaporate.

C3

“normal” pathway for photosynthesis
• Evolved first

RUBISCO

enzyme used to fix carbon in photosynthesis in C3 plants

high temperatures

when is C3/Rubisco inefficient?

trees, shrubs, wildflowers

common C3 plants

C4

a more efficient method of fixing CO 2 in hot, dry areas

PEP carboxylase

enzyme used to fix CO2 in C4 plants

many grasses, corn, pineapple

common C4 plants

warmer days/colder nights, low humidity, higher snow cover and wind speed, high direct sun

how does the microclimate of open fields compare to closed forests?

many species have evolved for specific climates/microclimates

why is climate change a concren?

that have evolved at a place, gone extinct, dispersed in

The species pool in any given location is a function of the species__________, minus the species that have _________, plus the species that have ____________